A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous Fourteenth Century

The fourteenth century reflects two contradictory images: on the one hand, a glittering time of crusades and castles, cathedrals and chivalry, and the exquisitely decorated Books of Hours; and on the other, a time of ferocity and spiritual agony, a world of chaos and the plague.

Forgotten Ally: China's World War II, 1937 - 1945

For decades, a major piece of World War II history has gone virtually unwritten. The war began in China two full years before Hitler invaded Poland, and China eventually became the fourth great ally, partner to the United States, the Soviet Union, and Great Britain. Yet its drama of invasion, resistance, slaughter, and political intrigue remains little known in the West.

The Proud Tower: A Portrait of the World Before the War, 1890-1914

The fateful quarter-century leading up to World War I was a time when the world of privilege still existed in Olympian luxury and the world of protest was heaving in its pain, its power, and its hate. The age was the climax of a century of the most accelerated rate of change in history, a cataclysmic shaping of destiny.

The Zimmermann Telegram

In the dark winter of 1917, as World War I was deadlocked, Britain knew that Europe could be saved only if the United States joined the war. But President Wilson remained unshakable in his neutrality. Then, with a single stroke, the tool to propel America into the war came into a quiet British office. One of countless messages intercepted by the crack team of British decoders, the Zimmermann telegram was a top-secret message from Berlin inviting Mexico to join Japan in an invasion of the United States.

The First Salute: A View of the American Revolution

This compellingly written history presents a fresh, new view of the events that led from the first foreign salute to American nationhood in 1776 to the last campaign of the Revolution five years later. It paints a magnificent portrait of General George Washington and recounts in riveting detail the events responsible for the birth of our nation.

Bible and Sword: England and Palestine from the Bronze Age to Balfour

Two-time Pulitzer Prize - winning historian Barbara Tuchman explores the complex relationship of Britain to Palestine that led to the founding of the modern Jewish state - and to many of the problems that plague the Middle East today.

Hell in a Very Small Place: The Siege of Dien Bien Phu

Like Gettysburg, Stalingrad, Midway, and Tet, the battle at Dien Bien Phu - a strategic attack launched by France against the Vietnamese in 1954 after eight long years of war - marked a historic turning point. By the end of the 56-day siege, a determined Viet Minh guerrilla force had destroyed a large tactical French colonial army in the heart of Southeast Asia.

The General vs. the President: MacArthur and Truman at the Brink of Nuclear War

From master storyteller and historian H. W. Brands, twice a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, comes the riveting story of how President Harry Truman and General Douglas MacArthur squared off to decide America's future in the aftermath of World War II.

The March of Folly: From Troy to Vietnam

In The March of Folly, two-time Pulitzer Prize winning historian Barbara Tuchman tackles the pervasive presence of folly in governments through the ages. Defining folly as the pursuit by governments of policies contrary to their own interests, despite the availability of feasible alternatives, Tuchman details four decisive turning points in history that illustrate the very heights of folly in government.

The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-1945

This Pulitzer Prize-winning history of World War II chronicles the dramatic rise and fall of the Japanese empire, from the invasion of Manchuria and China to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Told from the Japanese perspective, The Rising Sun is, in the author’s words, "a factual saga of people caught up in the flood of the most overwhelming war of mankind, told as it happened - muddled, ennobling, disgraceful, frustrating, full of paradox."

The Fall of the Ottomans: The Great War in the Middle East

In The Fall of the Ottomans, award-winning historian Eugene Rogan brings the First World War and its immediate aftermath in the Middle East to vivid life, uncovering the often ignored story of the region's crucial role in the conflict.

His Final Battle: The Last Months of Franklin Roosevelt

"By far the most enigmatic leading figure" of World War II. That's how the British military historian John Keegan described Franklin D. Roosevelt, who frequently left his contemporaries guessing, never more so than at the end of his life. Here, in a hugely insightful account, a prizewinning author and journalist untangles the narrative threads of Roosevelt's final months, showing how he juggled the strategic, political, and personal choices he faced as the war, his presidency, and his life raced in tandem to their climax.

Commander in Chief: FDR's Battle with Churchill, 1943

Nigel Hamilton's Mantle of Command, long-listed for the National Book Award, drew on years of archival research and interviews to portray FDR in a tight close-up as he determined Allied strategy in the crucial initial phases of World War II. Commander in Chief reveals the astonishing sequel - suppressed by Winston Churchill in his memoirs - of Roosevelt's battles with Churchill to maintain that strategy.

The English and Their History

Robert Tombs' momentous The English and Their History is both a startlingly fresh and a uniquely inclusive account of the people who have a claim to be the oldest nation in the world. The English first came into existence as an idea, before they had a common ruler and before the country they lived in even had a name. They have lasted as a recognizable entity ever since, and their defining national institutions can be traced back to the earliest years of their history.

Practicing History: Selected Essays

Master historian Barbara W. Tuchman looks at history in a unique way and draws lessons from what she sees. This accessible introduction to the subject of history offers striking insights into America's past and present, trenchant observations on the international scene, and thoughtful pieces on the historian's role. Here is a splendid body of work, the story of a lifetime spent "practicing history".

American Colonies: The Settling of North America: Penguin History of the United States, Book 1

In the first volume in the Penguin History of the United States series, edited by Eric Foner, Alan Taylor challenges the traditional story of colonial history by examining the many cultures that helped make America, from the native inhabitants from millennia past through the decades of Western colonization and conquest and across the entire continent, all the way to the Pacific coast.

China: A History

Many nations define themselves in terms of territory or people; China defines itself in terms of history. Taking into account the country's unrivaled, voluminous tradition of history writing, John Keay has composed a vital and illuminating overview of the nation's complex and vivid past. Keay's authoritative history examines 5,000 years in China, from the time of the Three Dynasties through Chairman Mao and the current economic transformation of the country.

The German War: A Nation Under Arms, 1939-1945; Citizens and Soldiers

As early as 1941, Allied victory in World War II seemed all but assured. How and why, then, did the Germans prolong the barbaric conflict for three and a half more years? In The German War, acclaimed historian Nicholas Stargardt draws on an extraordinary range of primary source materials - personal diaries, court records, and military correspondence - to answer this question. He offers an unprecedented portrait of wartime Germany, bringing the hopes and expectations of the German people to vivid life.

The Conquering Tide: War in the Pacific Islands, 1942-1944

The devastation of Pearl Harbor and the American victory at Midway were prelude to a greater challenge: rolling back the vast Japanese Pacific empire island by island. This masterful history encompasses the heart of the Pacific War - the period between mid-1942 and mid-1944 - when parallel Allied counteroffensives north and south of the equator washed over Japan's far-flung island empire like a "conquering tide", concluding with Japan's irreversible strategic defeat in the Marianas.

Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World

Winner of the Samuel Johnson Prize, renowned historian Margaret MacMillan's best-selling Paris 1919 is the story of six remarkable months that changed the world. At the close of WWI, between January and July of 1919, delegates from around the world converged on Paris under the auspices of peace. New countries were created, old empires were dissolved, and for six months, Paris was the center of the world.

To Hell and Back: Europe 1914-1949

The European catastrophe, the long continuous period from 1914 to1949, was unprecedented in human history - an extraordinarily dramatic, often traumatic, and endlessly fascinating period of upheaval and transformation.

Pearl Harbor: From Infamy to Greatness

Published in time for the 75th anniversary, a gripping and definitive account of the event that changed 20th-century America - Pearl Harbor - based on years of research and new information uncovered by a New York Times best-selling author.

Modern China: A Very Short Introduction

This Very Short Introduction offers an indispensable starting point for anyone who needs to quickly know the themes and controversies that have shaped modern China. Prize-winning author and scholar Rana Mitter examines the modern history, politics, economy, and thriving cultural scene of contemporary China, and its relations with the wider world.

Publisher's Summary

In this Pulitzer Prize - winning biography, Barbara Tuchman explores American relations with China through the experiences of one of our men on the ground. In the cantankerous but level-headed "Vinegar Joe", Tuchman found a subject who allowed her to perform, in the words of the National Review, "one of the historian's most envied magic acts: conjoining a fine biography of a man with a fascinating epic story."

Joseph Stilwell was the military attaché to China from 1935 to 1939, commander of United States forces, and allied chief of staff to Chiang Kai-shek from 1942 to 1944. His story unfolds against the background of China's history, from the revolution of 1911 to the turmoil of World War II, when China's Nationalist government faced attack from Japanese invaders and Communist insurgents.

What the Critics Say

"The most interesting and informative book on U.S.-China relations...a brilliant, lucid and authentic account." (The Nation)"Barbara Tuchman's best book...so large in scope, so crammed with information, so clear in exposition, so assured in tone that one is tempted to say it is not a book but an education." (The New Yorker)

I have always been interested in China and find Barbara Tuchman's books on historic moments excellent. This one did not disappoint. She painted a fair portrait of Stilwell. Clearly she liked him, but she did not cover up his flaws - particularly those that impacted his work in China. The most fascinating part of the story covers the WWII period, but the earlier time periods cast useful illumination on the events. Chiang Kai Shek does not come off very well, but the Americans, including Stilwell, did not truly understand him or the Chinese viewpoint with regard to many things. Mme. Chiang, whose Western outlook was better understood, was mostly responsible for the level of backing the Americans gave to the Kuomintang.

I found this book well worth the time. For those who are interested in how fairly recent history has shaped our modern world, this book is strongly recommended.

If you could sum up Stilwell and the American Experience in China, 1911-45 in three words, what would they be?

Great historical story-telling.

What did you like best about this story?

The central character, Joe Stilwell

Which scene was your favorite?

Any time he was speaking truth to power

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

God, send us more of such men

Any additional comments?

Barbara Tuchman is a gifted teller of history, as everyone familiar with her work knows. But the narrator, identified by Audible as Pam Ward, who I think narrated Tuchman's Guns of August, is a perfect reader. Too often, narrators' voices, habits of speech, lack of interest and over-acting make Audible's books hard to listen to. Ms. Ward combines clear interpretive reading with just enough acting. She

Would you listen to Stilwell and the American Experience in China, 1911-45 again? Why?

Yes. But one has to be a real WWII history geek. This 600 page book was written foran earlier generation of readers who were in a culture of long-form reading. So actuallythe audible format is a lot better for the way we all are now. But it is especially betterfor those under 40.I had a special interest, as one who is doing research on a family member who servedon Stilwell's staff in China-Burma-India. The book cast a lot of light on the artifacts anddocuments I am going through. I could read articles in the CBI Roundup papers withsome knowledge of the who/what/where/whens.

What did you like best about this story?

Tuchman was a great writer from the old school of historians. I think that being awoman made her have a different viewpoint on the personalities. Military history ismostly written by men. Her views and opinions had that feminine insight. At thesame time she maintained a balanced tone, often stating the opinions and judgmentsof people with different perspectives.You also learn a lot about the Chinese history and worldview. In this regard the book is not "old" history, but is highly relevant to the China we deal with today.The book also gives you a good picture of life in the U.S. Army of the '20s and '30s.

Which scene was your favorite?

Wherever Stilwell was POed about events, Tuchman and the narrator really give you a feel for the man, really bring him to life. Because of Tuchman's writing and the excellent narration of Pam Ward I felt like I got to know the man. He came to life through theirtalents.

Any additional comments?

Good book for WWII enthusiasts. Not a quick read. Even in Audible format, get ready for a long involved journey.

A stunning story of heroism, perseverance and the will to overcome all obstacles in the face of an ally not unable, but unwilling, to fight for itself. The story of Stilwell in China could easily be understood as the prototype for what happened in Viet Nam a decade later. It was impossible for me to come away from this book without a completely new understanding of Chiang Kai-shek and the role he played (or perhaps more accurately didn't play) in the Second World War. It gives a very positive view of Stilwell and the American effort, a positive view of many, many Chinese, but a very negative view of the active government in China during World War 2. And it serves as a dramatic counter-point to the allied victories in Europe and in the Pacific.

I recommend it, but it is not an easy book to read. The book is not new (it was originally published in 1971) but Barbary Tuchman did a great service with this book and it deserves to be read. The narrator does an excellent job but, as I said, it is not an easy book to read.

This over 20 hours of listening in 4 parts of the life and times of Joseph Stillwell. It chronicles his life from birth (1911) to death (1945). He first went to China in 1920 and spoke fluent Chinese. He was the military attache to China (1935-39) and commander of US forces and allied chief of staff to Chiang Kai-shek (CKS) in 1942-44. While he was commander of the forces in China he also had to deal with the British which a different agenda in Far East, CKS, the communists Chinese, the Japanese and another US General Chenault. All of these factions had their own agenda and made Stillwell's plans extremely difficult to carry out. In particular, Stilwell believed in taking over the Burma Road to allow for supply of goods into China. The British wanted resources elsewhere; Chenault wanted an exclusive air attack: CKS wanted U aid but did not want to commit Chinese troops and was more worried about the communists than the Japanese and Japanese were aggressively attacking China.

Stilwell is depicted as a person who had a great respect and admiration for the Chinese people but had no respect or trust for high ranking chinese officers who were more interested in kickbacks and maintaining their army rather than winning the war. Stilwell also butted heads with CKS over how Chinese troops should be utilitized.

The story also provides a good summary of the history of China from 1900 on. The story ends sadly. Stilwell does eventually open the Burma road, but air resources had improved to the point where the road was not necessary for supplies. Stilwell was eventually recalled back to the US when Roosevelt caved in to CKS request to have Stillwell removed. He returned to the US without fanfare or recognition for his efforts as the person who saw more battles than anyother in the Pacific.

If you are interested in the history of China ane beginnings of US - China diplomacy you find this book interesting.

B. Tuchman is such a good writer and presenter of Stilwell's good and bad parts and mostly the bad parts of the U.S. - China policy. My stomach began to twist whenever Stilwell had to deal with Chiang Kai Shek et al. It's no wonder Stillwell died of stomach/liver cancer soon after the war. The reason I read the book was that my father was in that theater of war, U.S. Army.

If you are at all interested in US-China relations, US Foreign Policy in general, US executive decision-making, FDR politics, WWII history, etc and have not read this book, then do so now.

Barbara Tuchman is equally compelling as both writer and historian, adroitly switching between perspectives and levels of analysis with wit, insight, and clear organization.

Pam Ward is so good I feel I have to go back and degrade all other performances to three or four stars. This is the first audible book out of dozens I have listened to at normal speed instead of 1.5x or 2x. She expertly highlights Tuchman's dry humor and memorably enlivens Stillwell's character - both good and bad aspects.

One warning: I have the hard copy of this book and found it very useful to reference the maps of Burma and Stillwell's travels.

Great book for understanding the crisis of China in the 20th Century and why the Communists ultimately won the civil war. Cuts through all the propaganda and myth making to lay out the gross incompetency and lethargy of the Guomindang and the naivety of the Americans who propped them up until long after it was too late.